Emily Hand, 9, is understood to be among the second group of hostages released from the Gaza Strip by Hamas.
The Irish-Israeli girl was taken hostage by Hamas from Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7.
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Emily was staying with a neighbour in the settlement when the attack occurred.
Her family was initially told she had been killed, but was weeks later informed she was most likely taken hostage.
“I am delighted that Emily Hand — a bright and beautiful young girl — has been released and will be reunited with her family,” Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin said in a statement shared to X on Saturday.
“After weeks of trauma, this is a previous and deeply moving moment for the Hand family.”
A group of 17 hostages was released on Saturday after an hours-long delay.
The group was released on Saturday and has arrived in Israel, the Israel Defense Forces said.
Thirteen Israelis and four Thai nationals were freed as part of a breakthrough deal between Israel and Hamas to pause fighting. As part of the deal, 39 Palestinians were expected to be released.
“A short time ago, the representatives of the Red Cross transferred the abductees to Egypt,” the IDF said in a statement Saturday. “The convoy of the abductees returning to Israel is making its way through Egyptian territory to the meeting point in Kerem Shalom.”
The Red Cross confirmed a group of hostages was headed to the Rafah crossing with Egypt late Saturday night local time.
A Red Cross convoy was seen entering the border crossing a short time later Saturday.
Hamas said it has handed over 13 Israelis and seven foreign nationals to the organisation.
Four Thai nationals have been released by Hamas late Saturday night in Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces said.
Saturday’s planned exchange of hostages and Palestinian prisoners between Israel and Hamas was delayed after a dispute over terms between the two sides, which Qatar later said was resolved through mediation.
Obstacles causing a delay in today’s expected hostage and prisoner release “were overcome” through mediation, Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesperson said.
“After a delay in implementing the release of prisoners from both sides, the obstacles were overcome through Qatari-Egyptian communications with both sides, and tonight 39 Palestinian civilians will be released in exchange for the release of 13 Israeli detainees from Gaza in addition to 7 foreigners outside the framework of the agreement,” the Qatari spokesperson, Majed Al-Ansari, said.
The hostages set to be released from Gaza Saturday include eight Israeli children, five Israeli women and an additional seven people from other countries, Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Majed Al-Ansari, said on the social media platform X.
Further details about the foreign nationals were not immediately available.
The Palestinian prisoners set for release include 33 teenagers and six women, according to a statement by the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society and the Commission for Detainees and Ex-Prisoners’ Affairs on Saturday.
The prisoners are mostly from the occupied West Bank, except for six from East Jerusalem, the statement added.
-With NBC
